By Clayson Hamasaka
Chief Communications Specialist
State House
Wednesday 6th November 2024
The claims by Former President Edgar Lungu that some judicial officers are complaining to him that they are operating under interference from State House are not only worrying, but another attempt to alarm the nation.
Recently the same Edgar Lungu claimed that some Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) officials went to him wondering how he lost elections.
In the first place, Mr. Lungu as a lawyer and former President, should know that he is not the bonafide institution under the laws of Zambia to whom officers can complain to.
The official and rightful institution for judicial officers to complain to is the Judicial Complaints Commission (JCC).
Grievance procedure for both the public service and the judiciary is well laid down. We can therefore only conclude that those reporting to Mr. Lungu are PF affiliates who were deployed in these institutions.
The new Dawn UPND administration remains committed to having a professional civil service and an independent judicial devoid of political affiliates who will be reporting to the former President. When action is taken against these political cadres who are reporting to him, Mr. Lungu should therefore not cry foul.
At no time has President Hakainde Hichilema or indeed anybody in State House ever interfered in the operations of oversight institutions such as the Judiciary. As we have stated before, President Hichilema respects the separation of powers. The independence of the three arms of government remains critical to the growth of our democracy, which President Hichilema cherishes.
What is becoming abundantly clear, is that Mr. Lungu is revealing how he used to interfere in the operations of governance institutions and thinks President Hichilema is doing the same.
Mr. Lungu statements implies that he had planted his own people in these institutions not on merit but based patronage.
We find it alarming that the whole lot of the former President does not find it awkward to tell the whole country that some Judicial officials are secretly confiding in him. What is he discussing with judicial officers? In what capacity are these judicial officers reporting to him?
Is he suggesting that when he meets the named officials, he seeks favours from them to manipulate their judgements in his favour?
Does this confirm what was revealed that some judgements, during Mr. Lungu’s time, were written over the weekends and in private places. Is this a confirmation how his administration manipulated the judiciary to that extent that they would wake up Judges at night to make certain judgements?
It is clear that Mr. Lungu is mistaking this regime thinking of his tenure when PF thugs would camp in the sacred grounds of the high court premises, drinking and putting pressure on the judges to rule in his favour.